Tester for wells



TESTER FOR WELLS Filed Jan. 28, 1943 All 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 flumaso'm,

INVENTOR.

Nov. 20, 1945. G. A. HUMASON TESTER FOR WELLS s Sheets-Sheet 3' I Filed Jan. 28, 1945 b um nan Patented Nov. 20, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,389,512 TESTER FOR WELLS Granville A. Humason, Houston, Tex.

8, 1943, Serial No. 473,816

Application January 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a tester for wells.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described specially designed for taking samples from the formation in a well bore and is of such construction that the sample may be taken either from the bottom of the bore or from the sidewall of the bore.

Another object of the invention is to provide in apparatus of the character described a novel type of drill attached to a drill stem with a testing tool adapted to be lowered down through the stem and projected either beneath the drill to take a sample from the bottom of the bore or through the sidewall of the, drill to take a sample from the sidewall of the bore. The testing tool embodies novel means for sealing oil. the drilling fluid from the area to be tested and al o embodies entrapping meansfor entrapping the sample and the apparatus is provided with means for withdrawing the testing tool from the drill stem to the ground surface for the recovery and inspection of the sample.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, peration, and arrangement of parts, examples of which are given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a drill stem showing the upper portion of the testing tool therein, shown in longitudinal section.

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of an intermediate portion thereof, in position to entrap a sample.

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the lower end thereof, showing the testing tool projected beneath panded and in position to entrap a sample.

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a drill stem showing the upper end of a modified form of the tool therein, shown in section.

Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the drill with the packer exan intermediate portion thereof, showing the parts in position to entrap a sample,

Figure 6 shows a longitudinal sectiona1 view of the lower end thereof, showing the packer expanded and the tool projected laterally through the drill.

Figure '7 shows a fragmentary side view partly in section showing the parts in position for taking a sample.

Figure 8 shows a enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the packer collapsed in the process of withdrawing the tool from the drill stem.

Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 and partly broken away.

Figure 10 shows a side view of the complete tool, of the type for taking a side wall sample and shown partly in section, and Figure 11 shows a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the drill.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in Figures 4 to 6 inclusive.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts in each of the figures the numeral l designates a tubular drill stem to the lower end of which a drill collar 2 is attached and attached to the lower end of said collar there is a drill 3 having an axial bore 4 extending therethrough whose lower end is reduced in diameter forming the inside, annular shoulder 5. This drill also has a lateral downwardly diverging guide way 6 leading from the bore 4.

The testing tool proper may be lowered down through the drill stem, or withdrawn therefrom by means of a cable not shown which may be connected in any conventional manner to the anchor rod 8 as shown in Figures 4, '7, and 10.

The anchor rod 8 may be attached to the upper end of an open valve ,cage 9 by means of a slip assembly 10 which has the releasable gripping jaws ll therein to grip and hold the rod 8.

Thevalve cage 9 has an annular valve seat l2 therein which is controlled by the upwardly opening ball valve l3 and the cage 9 has the side openings l4 above the valve through which the well fluid may pass into the drill stem I.

Attached to the lower end of the valve cage there is a tubular mandrel l5 having an enlargement l6 beneath the upper end thereof providing an upwardly facing shoulder IT and a downwardly facing shoulder l8.

Pinned onto the lower end of the mandrel, by means of frangible pins l9, there is a coupling member 20 whose upper end tapers upwardly forming an expander 2| and whose lower end is reduced and externally threaded to receive the upper end of the barrel 22,

Swung from the shoulder I] there is a slip assembly 23 which includes the depending externally toothed engaging jaws 24 whose inner sides are downwardly and outwardly flared. The jaws are arranged to be expanded by the expander 2| when lowered thereover. v

The lower end of the mandrel is closed by means of a plug 26 which is screwedtherein and the lower end of the mandrel is provided also with radial ducts 21 leading outwardly from the passageway therethrough and normally closed by the side annular shoulders 53 coupling 20 pinned thereon as shown in Figure 4. The tubular barrel 22 is inwardly thickened at 28 forming a valve seat in which the tubular sleeve valve 29 is mounted to slide. The lower end of this sleeve valve is closed and enlarged forming an upwardly facing shoulder 30 which limits the upward movement of said sleeve valve as shown in Figure 5. This sleeve valve 29 has radial ports 3| which are closed by the seat 28 when said sleeve valve is in its upper position.

An open valve cage 32 is screwed onto the upper end of the sleeve valve 29 and a coil spring 33 surrounds the sleeve valve 29 and is interposed between theupwardly facing shoulder 34, in the barrel 22, and the lower end of the cage 32 and this spring normally holds the .valve 29 in said upper position.

The cage 32 has an inside annular valve seat 35 which is controlled by the upwardly opening valve 36 and said cage 32 has the side openings 3'! above the valve 36 to allow the well liquid to pass upwardly into the barrel 22.

There is a length of pipe 36 whose upper end is screwed into the lower end of the barrel 22 the required distance beneath the valve 29. This pipe may be of any desired length and contains the main sample receiving chamber 39.

Screwed onto the lower end of the pipe 38 there is an elongated tubular valve casing 40 having an inwardly thickened portion 4| wherein is seated an annular valve seat 42 which is clamped in position by means of an open cage 43 which is screwed into said inwardly thickened portion and said seat is controlled by an upwardly opening valve 44. The cage 43 has the openings 45 above the valve 44 to allow the passage of the well liquid into the chamber 39.

There is a. tubular nipple forming a packer support 46 whose upper end extends up into the lower end of the valve casing 40. This packer support has an enlargement 41 forming the upwardly facing shoulder 48 and the downwardly facing shoulder 49. The lower end of the packer support 46 is enlarged, as at 56 and surrounding said support above said enlargement there is an expansible packer formed of rubber or similar expansible material and preferably formed hollow as shown in Figures 6 and 8. Around the upper end of the packer support there is a packer expanding sleeve 52 whose upper end is threaded into the lower end of the valve casing 40. The upper and lower ends of the packer 5| are mortised into, and pinned to, the lower end of the sleeve 52 and the upper end of the enlargement 50 as shown in Figures 6 and 8. The packer expanding sleeve 52 has the upper and lower inand 54 respectively, the former of which faces downwardly and the latter of'which faces upwardly. These shoulders are spaced apart a suificient distance to allow a limited, longitudinal movement of the packer expanding sleeve 52 relative to the packer support 46.

There is a conical shaped valve 55, formed of rubber or similar material and whose margin is securely clamped between the upper end of the sleeve 52 and the inside annular downwardly facing shoulder 56 of the valve casing 40. This valve has the cross slits 55a, 55b, Fig. 9, forming it into yieldable segments so that it may open and close. This valve 55 will be normally closed but when the valve casing 40 expand the packer 5|, as hereinafter explained, the upper end of the packer support 46 will be and sleeve 52 are lowered to .by the numeral 51.

projected through the valve 55 and will hold it open as shown in Figure 6.

Secured to the lower end of the packer support 46 there is a tubular probe designated generally This probe may be formed of an inside flexible metallic sheath 58 whose upper end is screwed into the lower end of the packer support 46 and said sheath may be covered by a flexible jacket 59 formed of rubber or other suitable material. The upper end of the jacket is fitted into the lower end of the packer support and the upper end of the probe is pinned to the packer support by means of a suitable number of pins 60. The lower end of the probe may have a perforated metallic point 6| to penetrate into the formation as shown in Figure 3 or it may have a tubular metal end 62 terminating in teeth 63. The point 6| and the tubular end 62 are interchangeable, both being suitably pinned to the adjacent part of the probe as shown in Figure 6. The axial bore through the drill may be plugged by means of a plug 64. This plug may be fitted into the bore 4 with the external annular shoulder 65thereof seated on the shoulder 5. The upper end of the plug is formed with an arcuate guide face 66 which registers with the guide 6 when the plug is in home position. This plug is located in the drill when it desired to take a sample from the sidewall formation.

With the plug 64 in position the testing tool may be let down through the drill stem by a cable attached to the anchor rod 8 as shown in Figure 4. As the testing tool approaches home position the probe will pass down through the upper end of the bore 4 and will be guided by the face 66 out through the guide 6 and will penetrate into the sidewall formation. The packer support will land on the upper end of the drill 3.

The mandrel l5 will move on down by its weight and the weight above forcing the barrel 22, the pipe 38, the valve casing 40 and the packer expanding sleeve 52 on downwardly causing the packer 5| to expand and to form a seal with the drill collar 2 to seal off the drilling fluid in the drill stem from the area being tested and upon this downward movement the valve 55 will be opened as above explained.

When the support 46 lands on the drill 3 the further downward movement of the mandrel |5 will shear the pins l9 and the plug 26 will engage the upper end of the valve cage 32 and will move the sleeve valve 29 downwardly thus opening the ducts or ports 21 and 3|. The fluid from the formation may then pass inwardly through the probe and upwardly through the packer support 46 lifting the valve 44 and passinginto the.

sample receiving chamber 39. If the pressure is suflicient the fluid will pass on up through the sleeve valve 29 past the valve 36 and on up through the mandrel I5 lifting the valve 3 and passing into the drill stem and the infiowing liquid may flow on up to the ground surface if the quantity thereof is suflicient.

When the mandrel l5 has been lowered so as to shear the pins 9 the slip assembly 23 will drop down over the expander 2| and the slip ja'ws 24 will wedge tightly between the expander and the drill stem so as to anchor the testing tool in the drill stem as shown in Figure 7.

Before lowering the testing tool into the drill When a sufficient sample has been taken the tool-may be pulled upwardly. Upon inltialupward movement the shoulder I! w ill engage the slip assembly 23 and move it upwardly thus releasing the jaws 24 from the expander 21 and permitting said jaws to contract and release the drill stem and upon further upward movement the plug 26 will engage the lower end of the coupling 20 as shown in Figure 4 and the ducts 21 will be closed and the spring 33 will elevate the.

sleeve valve 29 closing the ducts or ports 3 I. The barrel 22, the pipe 38, the valve casing 40, and the expander 52 will also be lifted up permitting the valve 55 to close and the packed to contract as shown in Figure 8. The sample in the chamber 39 will be entrapped between the valves 29 and M and the valve 55 will form an additional protection to prevent the escape of any of the sample that mightleak past the valve 44. 'Upon release of the jaws 24 the tool may be pulled on up to the ground surface for an inspection of the sample.

When the drilling tool has been withdrawn, should it be desired to resume drilling operations, a central drill 61 may be lowered through the drill stem by a wire line into the central bore 4 of the drill 3 and locked therein by the releasable slip assembly 68 as shown in Figure 11.

Instead of using the cable for lowering and withdrawing the tool the tube 1 may be connected to the mandrel l5 by means of the valve cage 9a as shown in Figure 1'. This valve cage 9a has the valve seat l2 therein which is controlled by the upwardly opening valve I3a, and in case the-fluid in the well is of sufficient pressure it may flow on up through the tool and into the tube 1 and thence to the ground surface.

During these subsequent operations the drilling fluid may pass down through the channels, as 69, of the main drill as shown in Figure 6 and the channel 10 of the center drill as shown in Figure 11. r

The drawings and description are illustrative merely while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for testing wells comprising, a tubular drill stem having an inside shoulder and a guideway beneath the shoulder, a testing tool shaped to be lowered through the stem and comprising a barrel whose upper end is formed with a downwardly flared expander, a sample chamber on the lower end of the barrel having an outlet passageway through the barrel, a valve casing carried by the lower end of said chamber, a nipple telescoped into the lower end of the valve casing and adapted to land on said shoulder when the tool is lowered into the stem, a probe attached to the nipple and adapted to project through the guideway into the wall formation and having an inlet passageway which continues through the valve casing into said chamber, a packer between the nipple and valve casing adapted to be expanded to form a seal withthe surrounding drill stem upon downward movement of the valve casing relative to the nipple, a valve controlling said outlet passageway, a mandrel telescoped through said expander, expansible gripping means suspended from the mandrel and adapted to be expanded, by the expander, into engagement with the drill stem, upon downward movement of the mandrel to anchor the tool in the stem, said outlet valve being arranged to be opened by the mandrel upon downward movement of the mandrel, and means for preventing detachment of member and having an outlet leading from said the mandrel from the barrel upon upward movement or the mandrel.

2. Apparatus for testing wells comprising, a tubular drill stem having an inside shoulder and a guideway beneath the shoulder, a testing tool shaped to be lowered through the stem and comprising a barrel whose upper end is formed with a downwardly flared expander, a tubular member on the lower end of the barrel containing a sample chamber having an outlet passageway through the barrel, a valve casing carried by the lower end of said tubular member, a nipple telescoped into the lower end of the valve casing and adapted to land on said shoulder when the tool is lowered into the stem, a probe attached to the nipple and adapted to project through the guideway into the wall formation and having an inlet passageway which continues through the valve casing into said chamber, a packer between the nipple and valve casing adapted to be expanded to form a seal with the surrounding drill stem upon downward movement of the valve casing relative to the nipple, a valve controlling said outlet passageway, a mandrel telescoped through said expander, expansible gripping means suspended from the mandrel and adapted to be expanded, by the expander, into engagement with the drill stem, upon downward movement of the mandrel, to anchor the tool in the stem, said outlet valve being arranged to be'opened by the mandrel upon downward movement of the mandrel, means for preventing detachment of the mandrel from the barrel upon upward movement of the mandrel and means on the mandrel for releasing said gripping means upon upward movement of the mandrel.

3. In apparatus for testing wells, a tubular drill stem, a testing tool shaped to be lowered into the stem and comprising a tubular valve casing, a tubular member connected to the upper end of the valve casing andcontaining a sample chamber, a barrel above, and connected to, said tubular chamber, a nipple telescoped into the lower end of said casing, a probe connected to the nipple and adapted to penetrate into the earth formation in a well bore and said probe and nipple having an inlet passageway which leads into said chamber, a packer arranged to be expanded, upon downward movement of the valve casing relative to the nipple, to form a seal between the tool and the surrounding drill stem, valve means in the casing controlling said inlet passageway and arranged to allow fluid to flow from said formation into the chamber and to entrap the fluid in said chamber, valve means controlling the outlet and means for opening said last mentioned valve means subsequent to such downward movement of said valve casing relative to the nipple.

4. In apparatus for testing wells, a tubular drill stem, a testing tool shaped to be lowered into the stem and comprising a valve casing, a tubular member connected to the upper end of said casing and containing a sample chamber, a barrel connected to the upper end of the tubular member and having an outlet leading, from said chamber, a nipple telescoped intothe lower end of the casing, a probe depending from the' nipple and adapted to penetrate into the earth formation in a well bore and said probe and nipple having an inlet channel leading into said chamber, a packer arranged to be expanded, upon downward movement of the valve casing relative to the nipple, to form a seal between the tool and the surrounding drill stem, an upwardly opening valve controlling lar nipple arranged telescopically, a

said inlet channel and normally closed but arranged to be opened by said nipple upon such downward movement of said valve casing, a valve mounted in said barrel above the sample chamber and controlling the outlet, a mandrel for opening said outlet valve upon downward movement of said mandrel relative to the valve casing.

5. In apparatus for testing wells, a tubular drill stem, a testing tool shaped to enter the stem and comprising an upper valve casing and lower tubutubular member connected to said casing and containing a sample chamber, a barrel above, and connected to, said tubular member and provided with an outlet which leads outwardly from said chamber,

closed, a coupling on said barrel, means releasably connected to the coupling and moved downwardly relative to the said downwardly opening valve.

GRANVILLE A.. HUMASON.

adapted to be barrel to open 

